


Not So Sweet

by CalmIsOverrated



Category: Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Gen, Hurt Peter Parker, Medical Procedures, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Slight Hurt/Comfort, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, not beta-ed, so does tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2020-09-30 09:49:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20445149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CalmIsOverrated/pseuds/CalmIsOverrated
Summary: "Hey kid? Hello? You look kinda pale... And sweaty, ew. Hey," he waved a hand in front of the teens face concern showing for the first time as Peter's glazed eyes dragged themselves to meet Tony's, "You okay?"





	Not So Sweet

**Author's Note:**

> Read this real quick please- I'm unsure if this is a trigger or something (if it is let me know and I'll tag it) but this fic deals with blood sugar crash and medical stuff. I'm not a doctor so maybe not accurate and fanfiction is for fun. I wrote this possibly more than a year ago, so I don't really write like this anymore.
> 
> My Tumblr is Calm-is-overrated :P
> 
> I have a beta- but they're never on when I feel like having stuff posted, so this is unbeta-ed. This is on my FF.net profile as well, same user.

It was a bad week. The first one the Parkers had had in awhile.

For a couple months they’d managed to stay afloat on a sea of debt. Yes, they were living paycheck to paycheck, but they were doing okay. They were surviving.

Then Aunt May lost a job, one of the couple jobs she juggled daily. And unfortunately it meant they lost a good source of their income. And the small family’s financial stability was shaken. May had devised a budget to make sure they had enough for rent, bills, and food until she managed to find another job to sufficiently replace the one she’d lost.

If the Stark internship wasn’t for Spider-Man, Peter would have quit when May had lost her job and tried to get a paying job to help support his Aunt. There were a few places that would hire a fifteen year-old with a guardian’s consent.

Of course May didn’t know what the internship was actually for, but she had made sure he would keep it. When things started getting worse she knew exactly what was going on in her self-sacrificing nephew's mind and threatened to call Mr. Stark and tell him not to allow him to quit. Peter decided to limit his Spider-Man time as much as he dared to in order to help his Aunt with whatever he could. It went without saying that vigilantism didn’t pay in much besides bruises and broken bones.

The teen had backed off after he saw how much the topic of him having to quit something he loved in order to get a job was affecting her. But that didn’t stop him from finding little ways around that rule. He’d find a couple small jobs like walking his neighbor’s dog, or watching someone’s kid that would give him maybe fifteen bucks. If a grateful citizen insisted on giving him a few dollars for saving them, he would sometimes take it. It didn’t sound like much, but he managed to sneak whatever he made into May’s wallet. It always seemed to help them get by a little bit easier.

The Parkers were currently down to two small meals a day, breakfast and dinner. There were a couple days where Peter could afford to buy lunch at school with any money he had leftover, the vigilante rarely had any to spare.

To their credit, his friends, Ned and MJ- she’d long given up on convincing Peter that she was _ not _ his friend- had quickly noticed when their friend had started skipping lunch some days. The two began sharing their food at lunch. Peter even had a hunch they started packing more for him when these ‘bad times’ happened. Which occurred more often than Peter wanted to admit as May was becoming older and the jobs becoming harder. Not to mention the bare minimum pay she received. His poor Aunt was working several jobs just to support the two of them.

It was also when Flash’s harassment started reaching an all time high. “This just in, Puny Parker uses friends for food since he can’t help his _ dear, old _ Aunt because of his 'internship’,” he yelled out in his 'announcer’ voice, using quotation marks on 'internship’. Then the laughing would start. Peter could handle being mocked. But it’s when they brought in May and Mr. Stark, his only family and the people he considered family that made him want to start a fight. Powers or no. And Peter did try to ignore it. He really did. But it didn’t always work out in his favor.

_ The first time the small family went under in debt was shortly after Ben’s death and Peter started going out as Spider-Man. The rumors around Peter’s suddenly poverty became so bad it reached the teachers, a few actually began suspecting abuse. He knew his Aunt would never hurt him, he was offended they would jump to that. And instead of simply asking the teen they called a meeting with Peter and May (made her stop in the middle of her shift and drive all the way to the school). They’d almost discovered some less than beautiful bruises that were decorating his sternum thanks to a crowbar from a robber the night prior. Which would not have been fun to explain. _

_ The teachers, realizing the family was simply going through a hard time dismissed them. Peter, of course, had apologized profusely to his Aunt at the fact they’d dragged her away from work due to some stupid rumors he should have controlled and put to a stop to. In the end May stopped him by changing the subject and telling him she had a few hours before her next shift started. So, after signing her nephew out for the day, the two left his school. They went home and Peter made popcorn and they watched 101 Dalmatians until May’s next shift began. _

“Guys, you really don’t have to do this,” he said as they pushed several food items onto his empty tray. He felt embarrassed enough that this was happening in the first place. Ned had split his sandwich in half, MJ handed him the Granny Smith apple that she’d brought for a snack during decathlon. It was far from enough and Peter knew it wouldn’t last more than an hour if that. But his ravenous stomach was about to eat itself.

“Hey, dummy, you can’t just not eat,” MJ said monotone when he tried to refuse. Peter stuck his tongue out like the (im)mature fifteen year-old he was and took a bite of his- Ned’s- sandwich, before realizing just how hungry he was and devouring it.

MJ didn’t retaliate, knowing full and well Peter did not like being forced to eat some of their lunch. And instead raised a pointed eyebrow that said 'Told you so’ when his stomach growled, demanding more food. He begrudgingly accepted the offered food. He finished his apple shortly before the bell rang, telling them to hurry back to class. He was already starting to get hungry again. _ It’s Friday, I just hope I can make it through the day, _Peter thought helplessly as he followed the others out to their next classes.

* * *

Ned and MJ were probably the only reason he made it through that day. He’d nearly walked into a wall at one point when his vision became hazy. He lost concentration in class and started falling asleep and when the teacher woke him up, he snapped at the man.

Ned managed to stop the teacher from giving Peter detention, though Peter had no clue how, as he’d dazed out again. By the end of the day Peter nearly cried. All he wanted to do was go home and sleep for a century. Ned had to catch him as he stumbled and his nose nearly met the hard tile floors. The trio made their way out, thankfully with no more instances. Ned was practically the only thing keep Peter from falling over. MJ watched with poorly disguised concern before going to support him on the opposite side.

“Dude, let me call my mom to pick us up. I don’t think you can make it home by yourself,” Ned said taking out his phone with his free hand.

Peter blinked dazedly once, then twice before yelling “No!” so loudly Ned nearly dropped his phone and MJ jumped. “’M fine, Ned. I can make it home.”

“Peter…” MJ challenged lowly, glaring at the barely coherent boy. Who just kept stumbling towards the exit before his own phone chimed.

Happy: _ 'I’m outside. Hurry up, I don’t have all day.’ _

Peter’s eyes widened. Oh right, he had the 'internship’ today. He wondered if he could just skip today… Tony would be suspicious. Usually Peter was positively vibrating with excitement to go. If he didn’t show up Tony would probably start wondering what was going on. He didn’t really have a choice.

“Dude, you can’t. I doubt you even heard what we’ve been telling you while you were staring off into space,” Ned said from behind him, pulling Peter’s arm gently. Ned tried to take the phone to text out that Peter wouldn’t be going. Keyword: tried. Peter quickly grabbed it back while shaking his head childishly, they noticed how sickly he looked. Ned and MJ exchanged a look that held a silent conversation. Truthfully, Peter’s Aunt wouldn’t be back from work for a few hours and if anything happened it would be better if he was being watched by an adult. Even if that adult was Tony Stark.

“Okay, let’s just get you to the car, okay?” Ned said calmly, like he was speaking with a difficult child. Peter was pretty sure he nodded and the other two helped him to the parking lot, where they spotted Happy’s car.

Happy’s brow furrowed when he caught sight of Peter’s pale, vacant face. “What’s wrong with him?”

Ned shrugged and MJ had concern written on her face. “I think his blood sugar might be low. Just give him some food and he’ll be fine.”

“Alright,” Happy said opening the car door, “get in.”

Peter dunked his head and crawled into his seat, and buckled in. Happy waved off the kid’s friends and got in the front seat and started driving off towards the Compound. Peter slept the entire ride. If Happy hadn’t been concerned he would have been relieved for the silence. He would have woken the teen up but he didn’t have any head injuries or Tony would have informed him. Instead, he glanced back through his mirror every now and then to check the teen’s condition and let the teen rest until they reached the Compound.

Happy put the car in park and turned his attention to the sleeping kid in his backseat. “Peter, wake up. Tony isn’t the most patient person.” There was a groan and then Peter’s face scrunched up in pain. Then his eyes opened immediately and he shot up with a gasp, chest heaving. Happy didn’t know what he could do from where he was. So, before the man could think against it, he got out and went around to Peter’s door and opened it. “Hey, kid?”

Peter looked up and swallowed thickly. “Yeah?”

“You okay?”

“Y-yeah. Jus-just p-peach-chy,” Peter said dazedly as he unbuckled and got out. Happy’s eyes following, also concerned. He jogged to the door before the driver could even offer one of the sodas in the back. Peter went inside, pausing at the door to watch Happy drive off. He had his hand on the wall in case he needed to steady himself. Truthfully he felt somewhat better after his hour nap in Happy’s car. Despite the crick in his neck from the slightly awkward position he’d slept in.

He walked inside, and opened the elevator. “Hello, Mr. Parker, Sir is in his lab. Would you like me to take you there,” the AI, FRIDAY, asked.

“Yeah. Yes pl-please,” he said, trying to keep the persistent stutter away. He was having a harder time doing that.

“Mr. Parker, you appear to be in distress. Your heartbeat is 148 and you have a slight fever. Would you like me to tell Sir?”

“No!” Peter yelped.

There was a pause. “Okay, Mr. Parker.”

'Ding!’ The elevator chimed and the doors slid open. Mr. Stark’s labs never ceased to amaze the teen. Even in his hazy, dizzy state he could very much appreciate everything. Upon his arrival there was a clatter and then Tony’s head popped up from behind one of the desks. The man was covered in car grease it was all over his arms, face, and hair. When his eyes landed on Peter he exclaimed, “Hey, Pete!”

Peter steeled his voice. “Hi, Mr. Stark.”

“C'mere kid, I have a project I need your help with,“ and with that the inventor was gone back into the depths of his labs. Peter followed, though he was taking it slower than usual today and kept a hand out to steady himself in case he started falling.

When he found Tony the man was sitting with a piece of Iron Man armor in his lap. "About time! Sit there Spider-kid.” So Peter did, he didn’t exactly have the energy to join the inventor or to protest the silly nickname. He dazed out as Mr. Stark began talking about how he could better streamline the suit for speed or what improvements could be made to upgrade the repulsor beams. Peter was listening though, his throat felt dry and scratchy and his stomach hurt.

“M-mr. Stark, ca-can you get me a dr-drink p-please?” He wanted to crawl into a hole and die for interrupting Tony to ask for a drink, but he didn’t think he could get it himself.

Tony looked at him seriously for a second before standing. “Yeah. Sure thing, kiddo. What kind?”

“Or-orange pop,” Peter stuttered. His vision blurred for a minute and then there was something in his hand. A cup. The cool glass was slippery against his sweaty palm.

Peter’s vision began blacking out on the edges and he felt nauseous. He was vaguely aware of the fact that his hand was now empty and then a crash! as his drink fell into the floor. His hands were shaking? No, he was shaking. That made sense, he could feel the trembling. “Kid? Hello?” Everything sounded like it was submerged in water. “You look kinda pale… And sweaty, ew.” He was? He was aware of a drop of sweat as it made its way from his forehead to his collarbone.

“Hey,” a hand was waved in front of his face. There was a concerned… Scared tone in the person’s voice. Peter wracked his mind trying to figure out what’s going on. He finally found a name though. It was Tony’s voice. Peter’s heavy eyes dragged themselves to meet Tony’s scared face, “You okay?” Was he okay? He didn’t think so… Peter wanted to respond, but his body had other plans. He felt his senses begin shut down. The last thing he remembered was Tony’s scared expression and a second later he saw nothing else.

* * *

Peter wasn’t himself that day. Far from it, and it didn’t take a genius- though it certainly helped being one- to figure it out. The teen seemed out of it and unable to focus the entire time and kept staring off into nowhere. He hadn’t expected Peter to suddenly interrupt him to ask him to ask for a drink. Peter knew where the mini-fridge was, and Tony almost made a joke about how he was getting lazy when he caught sight of the teen’s ashen face. The genius quietly agreed and stood.

Peter had seemed shaky when Tony had gently pushed the cup into his hand. But the inventor hadn’t expected him to drop it- that in itself didn’t seem like much but Peter never dropped anything thanks to his heightened senses. Then his concern dialed up to severe worry.

“Hey kid? Hello. You look kinda pale… And sweaty, ew.” He was cracking a joke to lighten the situation, but Peter didn’t seem to really be understanding it. “Hey,” he waved a hand in front of the teens face concern showing for the first time as Peter’s glazed eyes dragged themselves to meet Tony’s, “You okay?”

Tony received no verbal response and the kid’s eyes rolled up into his head as he crumpled to the ground from his seat. When Tony watched Peter fall, it felt like his heart stopped and time slowed down. He wondered if he had superspeed with how quickly he was at the teen’s side. His hands were shaking as he fumbled the teen’s clammy neck to feel for a pulse. When he finally found one, racing and thready, he nearly cried out in relief. It was there, but something was terribly wrong.

“FRIDAY,” the panicking man yelled out, “get Bruce here now! I need help!”

“Dr. Banner has already been notified of the emergency,” the AI replied calmly. And, true to her word, Bruce raced through the automatic double doors, into the lab where Tony was cradling Peter’s head and keeping him out of the sticky orange pop that covered the floor.

“FRIDAY told me his symptoms and I have an idea about what’s going on. But I need to check, just a second,” the man took off behind him but Tony hardly cared. His focus was on Peter.

He tried not to zero in on how Peter was trembling lightly against him and how pale he was. Bruce rushed back and skidded to their sides, huffing slightly. He seized Peter’s limp hand and singled out his pointer finger. The genius used the device- a blood sugar monitor, Tony noted- to prick his finger. Then he collected the blood that welled up on the strip. After a few seconds there was only silence. Then a beep. Bruce’s eyes widened, that was never good. “Crap. Oh Crap. Okay, Tony, think you can pick him up?” Bruce was already taking off towards medical ahead of him. Thankfully medical was just on the floor above. Accidents in the labs often enough Tony knew the routine.

“O-of course,” the man scooped up the teen bridal style. He was aware that even with the adrenaline pumping through his veins he could probably lift a car without feeling anything, but Peter felt insanely light. It all began to fill a growing, gnawing ball of worry that was filling his stomach as he laid the teen down on the hospital bed. In his peripheral vision he could see Bruce preparing syringe with something

He tried to remind himself he had a team of some of the best doctors in the country on his speed dial. Whatever was happening he could fix it. He _ would _ fix it. He watched as Bruce shone a light in the teen’s eyes and tried to get a response from the prone teen, talking to Peter as he continued working. Bruce quickly brought the shot over to the bed, the inventor was pretty sure it contained Glucagon, and injected the needle into the kid’s leg. Unable to do more to help, Tony stayed on the sidelines, running his fingers through his kid’s hair as Bruce worked around him. Bruce frowned when Peter continued being unresponsive to them and gave the teen another half dose.

Finally after a few minutes- which felt like decades to Tony- Peter gave a groan. Because he wasn’t being responsive and it wouldn’t hurt, Bruce put an IV with liquids and nutrients into the crook of the teen’s elbow to help further stabilize him. He looked very relieved when Peter’s shaking stopped and began regaining color.

Tony let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding with a long sigh. Without Peter, Tony realized, he couldn’t breath. The haggard man sat down in the chair besides Peter’s bed where he wouldn’t move until the teen woke up.

* * *

One of the first two things Peter noticed was the pounding headache he had and then voices. Harsh and quiet whispering. “Tony, something is going on with him. He’s severely underweight and malnourished,” the first one said.

“You don’t think I noticed? I had to pick him up,” the second countered a hint of panic in the voice. Then a hand was in his hair, brushing it back from his closed eyes. Peter was 90% sure it was the owner of the second voice. “What if it’s his Aunt?”

The hand paused. "May? No. She would never, she loves this kid to death. It’s got to be something else.” Something finally clicked in his groggy mind and the memories came flooding back. He groaned internally when he remembered he had fainted in front of Tony Stark- his mentor. Apparently he was bad at groaning internally as the two voices stopped in the debate they were in. “Hey kiddo, think you can open your eyes for me? You nearly gave me a heart attack, so you owe me that,” came the second voice, Tony.

He wanted to shake his head no, but that would take more effort than opening an eye. So he steeled himself and cracked open one eye. Tony’s relieved expression almost- almost- made it worth the effort. Another man with mousy brown hair and matching eyes was behind him busying himself with the IV lines. Bruce he guessed.

As Peter continued waking up he realized felt better than he had that entire week. Somewhat normal for the first time that week. Exhausted, yes, but he didn’t feel like his body was simply being run on pure will. Peter wished someone would say something instead of just staring at him. But at the same time he wanted to hit himself for coming to Tony’s in the first place. Peter clenched his eyes, preparing to be yelled at for being dumb enough to have let himself faint. “Why didn’t you tell me kid?”

Huh, Peter thought, that was not the response I was expecting. The teen peeled his eyes open to see his mentor’s concerned face. “What?” He croaked out, severely confused about… Everything that was going on. Bruce whispered something in Tony’s ear then patted the man on the shoulder and left. Tony just nodded absently, watching Peter through the corner of his eyes like the teen was going to disappear.

“Your blood sugar crashed,” Tony continued, his face steely, showing none of his raging emotions.

“Oh.” Peter suddenly found his bedsheet very interesting.

“'Oh’ is right. Peter, use your genius brain. Do you understand how dangerous of a situation you were in-”

“Yes,” Peter interrupted, “I do.”

“Nuh-uh. Adult is talking. You could have died, Pete. If Happy hadn’t picked you up-… If you weren’t here and instead you were heading home, you could have collapsed in an alley somewhere and fallen into a coma and slipped away. Or had a stroke and choked. Or, hell, what if you were on patrol in a fight with someone as Spider-Man? Someone could easily just unmask you! You, Peter Parker, will be the reason I go grey. Not superhero-ing or work stress shit. You.”

By the end of Tony’s speech Peter was beginning to feel worse and worse and squeezing his eyes shut. He looked on the verge of an anxiety attack. The man glanced at Peter and felt a pang of guilt at the pinched expression. No, this could not happen again, he needed to be the adult. Well this wouldn’t have happened if I had just quit. But, nooo, Aunt May won’t let me quit, Peter thought.

“Quit what, kid?” Peter’s eyes shot open to see Tony’s concerned and now confused face hovering on his left. Had he really said that out loud? He really needed to get better with mental dialogue. He could imagine himself in a battle with some new super villain and unknowingly spouting off his plan. Then Tony would probably have to save him and then give him a lecture on the importance of stealth. As if Tony was one to talk.

“N-nothing,” he said, his voice just above a whisper.

“Oh really?” Tony narrowed his eyes. “So why aren’t you eating?”

“W-what?” Peter asked, taken aback by the sudden question.

“Why else would your blood sugar get so low? You’re not on insulin and I can’t think of any other reason you’d faint in my workshop with near comatose level blood-sugar and malnourishment.”

“Sor-sorry. I-I. Well-well, w-we… Um,” Peter was caught and now in a mess. Great job, Pete. The stare Tony gave him wasn’t demanding, it was… Different. Parental almost. He couldn’t lie to him.

“May lost a job. This is the first time it’s happened in a while,” he said with a sigh, bringing his knees up to rest his head on them so that he didn’t have to see Tony’s expression.

“But what’s that- Oh,” his voice changed to realization and sympathy which annoyed Peter. People always did this when they found out. “Oh Peter, why didn’t you tell me? I could have helped. The term billionaire was coined for a reason, kid.”

"I don’t want your charity, Mr. Stark,” Peter said, annoyance showing slightly.

“It’s Tony, kid. You fainted in my lab and nearly gave me a heart attack the least you can do is call me Tony. And it’s not charity. Come to think of it, I should have started paying you for working for me a long time ago, kid,” Tony said sitting on Peter’s bed- because it was comfier than the chair, definitely not to be closer to Peter- which made the younger scoot over to make room.

“But I’m an intern. Interns don’t get paid,” Peter countered skeptically.

“True. But you aren’t an intern. Not anymore. You’re my new lab assistant now, kiddo.” Tony hummed while wrapping an arm around the kid, his kid.

“But-”

“No. Stop trying to refuse this, Pete,” Tony said pulling out his phone. “Try to get some rest. We’ll get you moved into your room after Bruce gets back and makes sure you’re doing okay. He’ll be back in like,” he checked his Rolex, “an hour. With food, but you have to take it easy until then.”

Peter blinked, confused at what his mentor said. “I have a room? Wait, I’m staying? For how long?”

“The whole weekend. We’re keeping you, stole you from your Aunt hottie. Sorry kiddo,” the man said with a smirk and ruffled the teen’s hair, seriousness gone. At least on the surface.

“Careful, May will come and steal me back.”

“Psh. Her and what army?”

“Ned and MJ,” Peter smirked, playing along. Plus he knew MJ freaked out Tony for some reason… Definitely not because the first time they did meet it was explosive. MJ started telling Tony off and yelling that he was insane for putting a fifteen year-old Peter within ten feet of any sort of danger. Tony later said she reminded him of Pepper and that Peter should keep her. Which did not help Peter become less of a blushing, stuttering mess. The man closed his mouth with an audible 'click’, paused, then said, “Good point.”

Tony turned on the TV to some mockumentary called 'The Office’. It was a rather good show.

“Take your nap Spider-baby,” the man said again as he watched Peter try and stifle a yawn while glaring. Peter opened his mouth to protest with an excuse about plans to hang out with Ned over the weekend when Tony started carding through his hair. Effectively cutting the teen off. That did it for the already exhausted teen and he started drifting off to the sounds of Michael and Dwight yelling on TV and his mentor’s presence.

* * *

The weekend ended far too quickly for either of their tastes. Peter knew he didn’t want to go home… Yet, at least. And Tony felt the same. Watching Peter collapse and being unable to help hadn’t done good things to his mental state. The inventor felt an almost parental protectiveness rear up inside him wherever the teen wasn’t in his direct vision. He didn’t know how May did it.

By the time he left, Peter was back to his usual energetic self. He practically skipped to Happy’s car, ready to talk the driver’s head off. Which Happy would admit he’d rather have than the half conscious teen he’d driven there a few days before.

Before he left he waved and yelled, “Bye, Tony. See you next weekend, hopefully under better circumstances.” And with that he raced off, not even bothering to conceal the grin.

“And next time if could you keep the fainting to a minimum, that would be great. My heart would appreciate it,” Tony shot back after him.

Peter gave him a shocked look. “So Mr. Stark _ does _ have a heart!” He received a glare but the corners of Tony’s mouth were perking upwards.

And after that weekend, if Tony snuck a few twenties, which quickly added, into Peter’s backpack whenever he came by on the weekends, neither said anything. But the thankful look on the teen’s face was acknowledgment enough. Within a few weeks the small family was back on their feet- thanks to Peter’s new paying job- and were eating regularly again. Peter may have also received a box of Steve’s custom made protein bars to help out in case he got hungry on patrols.

Tony often stopped by, when May allowed, for dinner to make sure everything was still going alright. He even told Peter the compound’s kitchens were always open to the teen because 'Young arachnids need to eat’. The last part was said out of earshot from May of course. And during this overprotective streak Peter decided that as long as he had Aunt May and Tony by his side, he’d be just fine.


End file.
